Write it on our hearts

As we continue with the "Invisible War" series we are learning more on how our enemy uses condemnation and doubt to keep us from experiencing God's love and power. How many times have we questioned our salvation or even God's grace of forgiveness?

Here is one lie which the enemy uses a lot with me.

God won't accept because I keep on sinning even after I have asked Him to forgive me.

The enemy specialise in this type of condemnation and doubt. Once I have fallen yet again, he condemns me for sinning; telling me that I'll never be free and that I'll never be able to please God. Did God really forgive me last time? And so it goes on.

Chip Ingram reminded us that we have to know the scriptures to be able to withstand these types of attacks. The power of condemnation and doubt is broken by the truth. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciple. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" John 8:31-32. To answer the lie which I mentioned above the enemy uses often with me is found in Isaiah 53:4-12 and Isaiah 54:10. God has never rejected me when I approached Him over and over again with the same sin.

Jesus said we need to know his word, write it onto our hearts, as we will never know when we will need it.

My Hero

Belt of Truth

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

This week we started going through the armour that God has supplied us for the spiritual battle. The belt was the first thing a Roman soldier put on. It was very important because it was the main item which held together the rest of the armour. The sword hung from it and the tunic was tucked into the belt to insure that he could march without restriction. The belt bound everything together giving the soldier a sense of firmness, making him feel secure, and able to meet the enemy's attack with confidence. There was security in the belt.

Paul states that we have to put on the belt of truth.

Truth?

Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life. So when we fasten the belt of truth around our waist, we are putting on God's truth as revealed in Jesus. In other words we are "putting on" Jesus. In Hebrews somewhere it tell us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Now doesn’t that sound of stability? I am all for something solid, something I can hold onto. So Jesus as the belt that held the Roman armour together gives us a sense of firmness, making us feel secure, and able to meet the enemy's attack with confidence. There is security in Jesus.

So close yet so far

This is part of an email I sent to one of my friends at BBC when he pressed ganged me into becoming a door welcomer. I feel that I should post it as I felt God physically standing next to me as I typed...

I know that God has naturally gifted me as a welcomer but I feel that God has some other mission field waiting for me. No I don't know what it is but I must earnestly seek Him and He will be found. I also feel that I supposed to be working in this field a long time ago and I let God down.

They say a tree which does not bare fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I look at myself and cry when I don't see any fruit. God has never left me but I have left Him many times. God is in the center of the universe and I am in the centre of mine. My friends around me are asking questions like what are my gifts and what is my calling? I know deep down because God told me long time ago that I am special and that He has something special for me to do. (Excuse me I am crying and I don't know why I am tell you this). I suppose because God is standing right next to me as I write this and yet I am so far from Him. If this does not make sense to you, don't worry, it doesn't make sense to me either but God is smiling.

I will know the special mission what God wants me to do when it requires not my natural born talents (which God gave me at birth) but a super natural gift which will prove that it is not me but God.

I will help full the ranks of a welcomer when needed but please note this comes naturally to me so it is not my calling, it is not the special mission that God wants me for.

My armour is too shiny and the enemy can see it. I need to stand up, step forward for that special mission soon and get dirty. There I go crying again.... It won't be easy but one day I sit with Jesus under that tree and show Him my battle scars with proud. What a beautiful day that will be.

Private Jerome reporting

I'm in my corner, and you in yours

Well, with so much happening all at once this week, there was not much time to do anything else. So I do apologise that this posting is a wee bit late. My project is about to launch, a new client on board who wants his work out within two days of giving it to me, Sun International's 4 new hotels in Port Ghalib, Egypt needs to be processed, my birthday and a party to help arrange, my best friend up from Durban to spend the weekend and so much more. There wasn't even time for God and spiritual warfare. I was so involved in my own world where I was in the centre, Mr Venter, that God had no place to maneuver. Don't get me wrong God was also with me, in thought and prayer but God was in the centre of the universe and I was in the center of mine. It is these times that the devil comes and trys to distract us. He knows us so well and we make it even easier for him by not focusing on God. Angus Buchan says that the best form of spiritual warfare is to lead a soul to Jesus Christ. And that was the furthest from my mind this week.

What was really shocking for me, that came out from last Tuesday's cell meeting was that we will find the devil in places we least expect him to be. We don't expect him in church do we? Well that is where we will find him busy stirring seeds of sin amongst God's people. Denise mentioned how easily we un-wittingly do the devil's work for him. We have to be on constant guard against satan because he is like a lion seeking for our week points.

The Invisible War

As we can all feel it, winter is truly here but that was not going to stop us. Last Tuesday we had a hot start to a new series "The Invisible War" by Chip Ingram.

The Invisible War is what every believer needs to know about our enemy and the mighty spiritual warfare that is raging all around us. Sandy started by stating that us "mlungus" have lost touch with what is happening around us in the spiritual realm while the Africans still sense it and feel it in everyday life. We just hope that it isn't quite so real.

We are God's children and what better way for satan to get back at the Father through his children. Satan knows us so well and he will try anything to oppose God's plans. The good thing is, he does not know the future, only the past and it is with the past that he will try trip us up.

I pray that this series will wake us up. Lord open our eyes that we my see what is going on around us so that we can prepare ourselves for the spiritual battle.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. " Eph. 6:10-12

So as we head down this course, let us take out that armour and put it on, it is the only protection we need. For some of us our armour is rusted and never been used, for others they are well polished and shining as for a parade but have never been warn in war. Yes some of us are so focused at keeping our armour sparkling for the coming general that we fail to see the enemy flanking us. The armour was given to us to be worn in combat. Let us stand together as a home group ready for the enemy. Let him think twice about out flanking us but attack us head on, for the war is already won by our general. Wouldn't it be wonderful to show God the dings and scars in our well worn armour at the end of the battle.

And the war cry for this week is from Eph. 6:10
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."

Thru the eyes of a child

It is good to be writing again after a short break. Winter is upon us with a chilling bite, I want to remind you to keep your eyes focused on Jesus. The world around us is surrounded by gnashing teeth and it will get worse. All we need to keep our heads held up high is Jesus. We can not do it on our own. So like a child we need to put our hand in His and let Him lead us. Here is a story I found by an unknown author that would help us not to forget what Jesus went through for us. It is the story of Jesus, Saviour, through a child's eyes.

God recently allowed me to see Jesus through the eyes of someone seeing Him for the first time. Having the advantage of knowing how the story ends, we can easily forget the cost of our redemption and the love of our Saviour.

Every year we attend a local church pageant at Christmas time, which tells the story of Jesus from His birth through His resurrection. It is a spectacular event, with live animals and hundreds of cast members in realistic costumes. The magi enter the huge auditorium on llamas from the rear, descending the steps in pomp and majesty. Roman soldiers look huge and menacing in their costumes and makeup.

Of all the years we have attended, one stands out indelibly in my heart. It was the year we took our then three-year-old granddaughter, Bailey, who loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire play, not just watching, but involved as if she were a player. She watched as Joseph and Mary travelled to the Inn and was thrilled when she saw the baby Jesus in His mother's arms.

When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was ecstatic. As he neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down, screaming, "Jesus, Jesus! There's Jesus!" Not just saying the words but exclaiming them with every fibre of her being. She alternated between screaming his name and hugging us. "It's Jesus. Look!" How like the blind beggar screaming out in reckless abandon, "Jesus, Jesus!" afraid he might miss Him, not caring what others thought. (Mark 10:46-52)

This was so much fun. Then came the arrest scene. On stage, the soldiers shoved and slapped Jesus as they moved Him from the Garden of Gethsemane to Pilate. Bailey responded as if she were in the crowd of women, with terror and anger. "Stop it!" she screamed, "Bad soldiers, stop it!" As I watched her reaction, I wished we had talked to her before the play. "Bailey it's OK. They are just pretending."

"They are hurting Jesus! Stop it!" She stood in her seat reacting to each and every move. People around us at first smiled at her reaction, thinking "How cute!" Then they quit smiling and began watching her watch Him. In a most powerful scene, the soldiers lead Jesus carrying the cross down the steps of the auditorium from the back. They were yelling, whipping, and cursing at Jesus, who was bloodied and beaten.

Bailey was now hysterical. "Stop it! Soldiers! Stop it," she screamed. She must have been wondering why all these people did nothing. She then began to cry instead of scream. "Jesus, Oh, Jesus!" People all around us began to weep as we all watched this devoted little disciple see her Jesus beaten and killed as those first century disciples had. Going back and forth between her mother's lap and mine for comfort, she was distraught. I kept saying, "Bailey, it's OK. Jesus is going to be OK. These are just people pretending to be soldiers." She looked at me like I was crazy. In my lap, we talked through the cross and burial. "Watch, Bailey, watch for Jesus!"

The tomb began to tremble and lightening flashed as the stone rolled away. A Super Bowl touchdown cheer couldn't come close to matching this little one's reaction to the resurrection. "Jesus! He's OK. Mommy, it's Jesus!"

I prayed that she wasn't going to be traumatized by this event, but that she would remember it. I shall never forget it. I shall never forget seeing Jesus' suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection through the eyes of an innocent child.

I think God in heaven stopped whatever was going on that day and made all the angels watch Bailey. "Now, look there! You see what I meant when I said, 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven?'"

Bailey's reaction should be our reaction every day. When we think of Him, who He is, what He did for us, and what He offers us, how can we do anything less than worship Him?